I have a quilt that my grandparents made for me around 1985 that was made in exactly the way you are talking about.

I think it's sounds like a good idea, You can only try so good luck to you.
Please post a picture when finished :wink:

I too have been toying with the notion of a pieced back. My question is that if you hand stitch, the stitch in back is a little tiny seed of a thing and don't show up as much as the front, so is it mainly machine type of quilting you need to do on this?

I don't think you are nuts. You would have to be careful during the quilting stage. I think I would use an all over pattern, rather than quilt in the ditch, because if the quilts aren't quite aligned it wouldn't matter.

My backs tend to be pieced out of sheer necessity! I like to use a light neutral fabric on the backs, but often that drawer is quite empty! I usually take bits of the fabric from the top and do a simple pattern on the back, usually a large irish-chain or nine-patch, or even a small sampler. If the quilting is very detailed on the front, I will make it a very large scale pattern so the quilting doesn't get hidden or break down and go with a solid back.
I like the variety and interest of a pieced back.
Shelly

When I first started quilting .. I was way misinformed that making the quilt 2 sided like what you were suppose to do. So allllll my beginning quilts are just like you are talking REVERSABLE!!! I know better now!

I saw one in a magazine. It was a quilt for a child with a checkerboard on the back.....along with it came pieces{stuffed] to play checkers.......it was real cute

It's a very good idea. There are some techniques especially for reversible quilts. Check out the following sites. I've tried two of the techniques. The last one is for using a serger instead of a regular sewing machine.

http://www.quiltyard.com/whatiscottontheory.phtml

http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/shows_qlt/article/0,2045,DIY_15080_2505414,00.html

http://www.quiltingworks.com/cabin-fever/projects/quiltasyougo.htm

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/cr_quilting_tips/article/0,,HGTV_3307_1376658,00.html

Here's what I've been thinking...one of those hmmm I wonder if things...I've been designing my brother's memorial quilt in my head for a year now...and a wonderful gal here on the board (love ya Nita!) is giving me a motorcycle silhouette for the back, which in essence will make it reversable. The top will be a 9 patch made from brother's blue jeans and flames on black background fabric for the center patches. I'm using the front of his favorite Harley t-shirt for the center panel of the quilt. Which is a flathead engine, with flames of course. So, here's my plan...I'm going to use very light flannel for batting, quilt the top and the back seperately so it will be quilted top-flannel-flannel- quilted back. Then I'll do an invisible "tack" to put the layers together and actually quilt the boarders in a flame like pattern. In my minds eye I see it working...but implementation will tell if I'm right or not. When the quilt is finished it will be going to Dave's almost 3 yr old grandson.

I think it's a great idea....you are getting two quilts in one. :) I hope you post pictures for us to see if/when you make it. :)